Sunday, September 21, 2014

Micronesian and Polynesian people settled early on the islands in the
Pacific Ocean. Both in Nauru (Pleasant Island) and the Cook Islands they practised
aquaculture and grew coconuts and pandanus fruit. A self-sufficient way
of life in the Pacific flourished and inspired Western
dreaming and art in the 19th and 20th centuries.

"Anthropologists Dr Amy McLennan and Professor Stanley Ulijaszek found
that islanders lost many of their traditional food cultivation,
preparation and preserving skills after settlers insisted that they
learn western ways of eating." (source)

"Dr Amy McLennan said: 'Under colonial rule, much changed in how food was
sourced, grown and prepared and the social change was swift. What
happened to the land also changed as colonial agriculture and mining
industries expanded. There was an increase in family size meaning food
was increasingly imported. The good news is that if obesity is tackled
across the whole community not just amongst people labelled as 'obese'
-- dietary habits could change quickly again. Lessons learned from the
experiences of these smaller nations could also help us to think in new
ways about social change and obesity in larger societies.'" (source)